W. Carrington and Wood & Hughes?

[KathyS]

Sorry no photo as my camera is on loan to someone. I have a sterling serving spoon with mark "W. Carrington & Co." as well as the mark of Wood & Hughes ("W" with the stylized ampersand which looks like a "3" on its side, followed by an "H"). I know a little about both companies/manufacturers, but cannot establish why both marks would appear on the same spoon. Was Carrington's mark also put on items he sold which had been manufactured by someone else, i.e., W&H? Thanks for any assistance you can offer!
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[Waylander]

Yes, it was common for retailer to mark pieces they sold with their own mark. Carrington was a retailer (and part time smith) : "William Carrington was born in Connecticut, served his apprenticeship as a jeweller and silversmith in New York, where he formed a life-long friendship with Charles Tiffany, and then settled in Charleston in 1830. In 1835 he founded his own firm, W. Carrington & Co, which continued till 1872, when he formed a partnership and the name of the business changed. Though he is often referred to as a retailer and jeweller, he was trained as a silversmith so the several articles of coin silver attributed to him, ie made by him, is most probably legitimate". From this you can date your piece as being made probably sometime between 1835 & 1872.

Regards

Waylander
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[KathyS]

Thank you, Waylander. Because I am "new" at this, I was not sure if that was common for a retailer to mark pieces made by others. Thanks for your reply and information!
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